Key chain attachment



Aug. 2, 1966 G. MARENCHIN KEY CHAIN ATTACHMENT Filed NOV. 10 1964 f n f r r l l l f l l V 1 f f f f I r l INVENTOR. GEORG MARENCHIN HIS ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,263,804 KEY CHAIN ATTACHMENT George Marenchin, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor of thirty percent to Milton Kosanovich, Pittsburgh, Pa. Filed Nov. 10, 1964, Ser. No. 410,187 4 Claims. (Cl. 206-38) This invention relates to a key chain attachment, and more particularly to a key chain attachment which retains cigarette lighter ilints and is shaped to service cigarette lighters.

In the use of modern cigarette lighters, small pieces of flint are positioned in the cigarette lighter to create a spark to ignite the cigarette lighter. The small pieces of flint are expendable in that they become worn and must be replaced periodically. As is well known, it is difficult to retain the small pieces of flint for insertion into the cigarette lighter since they are required only once or twice a month and the small size of the replacement flints causes them to be easily lost or mislaid.

The present invention relates to a key chain attachment which is designed to retain spare cigarette lighter flints until the llints are required for use in the cigarette lighter. In addition to retaining the flints, the key chain attachment of the present invention has a screw-driverlike lighter-opening flange which may be utilized to open the lighter in order to replace the worn cigarette lighter ilint. The lighter-opening flange may also be utilized to open the lighter for replenishing the combustible fluid supply.

The present invention contemplates a key chain attachment which has a body portion that is preferably formed from a transparent, thermosetting plastic material. The body portion of the key chain attachment has a longitudinal blind passage formed therein. The blind passage is of such size that it can readily receive a number of lspare cigarette lighter llints.

Formed in the body portion to communicate with the longitudinal flint receiving passage is a transverse passage which extends completely through the attachment body portion and intersects the ilint receiving passage. The transverse passage is adapted to receive a conventional beaded key chain. If several spare cigarette lighter ilints are inserted into the flint receiving passage, and a beaded key chain is thereafter inserted through the transverse passage, the spare cigarette lighter llints are thereby trapped within the longitudinal passage and are securely retained therein until needed for use.

When a flint is required in the cigarette lighter, the key chain may be removed from the attachment and a flint removed from the flint retainin-g passage. Thereafter, the key chain can be replaced within the attachment so that the remainder of the ilints are trapped by the chain.

On the end of the key chain attachment body portion is formed a flange which can be utilized as a s-crew driver to open the threaded portions of a cigarette lighter such as the cap which retains the flint and the cap through which additional combustible fluid is added to the cigarette lighter.

The key chain attachment of the present invention may be utilized a-s an advertising medium since advertisements may be imprinted or formed in the key chain attachment body portion. When used as an advertising medium, the key chain attachment of the present invention is a give away item. Because of the low cost of manufacturing the present invention, and because of the novel and useful service which the present invention performs, the present invention has the attributes of a popular give away advertising itern.

With the foregoing considerations in mind, it is an 3,263,804 Patented August 2, 1966 ICC object of the present invention to provide a flint-carrying key chain attachment.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a key chain attachment which carries spare flints and can be utilized to service a cigarette lighter.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a key chain attachment which has a cigarette lighter opening flange for servicing cigarette lighters.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel and useful give away advertising item.

These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent as this description proceeds in conjunction with the accompanying drawings:

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the key chain attachment of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view of the body portion of the key chain attachment of the present invention taken along line 2-2 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 3 is a `se-ctional View of the body portion of the key chain attachment of the present invention taken along line 3 3 of FIGURE 2.

Referring to the drawings, a il-int carrying key chain attachment 10 has a body portion 12 preferably formed of transparent, thermosetting plastic material. The body portion 12 is preferably rectangular in shape, although the shape of the outer surface of the body portion is not critical to the present invention.

A blind flint receiving passage 14 is formed longitudinally `within the body portion 12 and communicates with surface 12a of body portion 12. The flint receiving passage 14 is preferably cylindrical in cross section and is of sufficient depth -to receive several standard cigarette lighter flints. The diameter of passage 14 is suflicent to receive the standard flints.

A transverse passage 16 is formed to intersect with flint receiving passage 14 as is best shown in FIGURES 2 and 3. The transverse passage 16 extends completely through the body portion 12 and is lof sufficient diameter to receive a standard, beaded key chain. The transverse passage 16 extends generally perpendicularly to flint receiving passage 14.

Formed on one end of the body portion 12 is a screwdriver-like cigarette lighter opening flange 18. The opening flange 18 is of ysuch thickness that it may be inserted into the s-cored cap portion of a cigarette lighter to turn the cap portion and thereby remove it or adjust it.

An advertising imprint 20 may be placed on the outer surface of the key chain attachment body portion 12. In some instances, the advertisement might be embedded in the clear plastic of the body portion 12.

A number of standard cigarette lighter ilints 22 may be inserted in the passage 14 of key cha-in attachment body portion 12. When so inserted, the lighter ilints 22 are held captive by the beaded key chain 24 that extends through the transverse passage 16. I

In order to remove a flint 22 from the passage 14, the key chain 24 is removed from transverse passage 16. There is then an open passage to remove flint 22.

With the attachment of the present invention, spare flints for a cigarette lighter may be carried on the person with little difficulty. The key chain attachment, when im- .printed with an advertisement, is a useful and novel give away item to be utilized in advertising.

According to the provisions of -the patent statutes, I have explained the principle, preferred -construction and mode of operation of my invention and have illustrated and described what I now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

3 I-claim: I 1. In combination, a beaded key chain and attachment comprising:

(a) a generally rectangular body portion;

(b) a flint receiving cylindrical blind passage containing `at least one standard-sized cigarette lighter Hint, said rcylindrical blind passage being formed longitudinally in said body portion and communicating with one end surface thereof;

(-c) a transverse passage With said beaded key chain positioned therethrough, said transverse passage being formed in said body portion in communication with said iiint receiving passage and extending perpendicularly thereto;

(d) said transverse passage and said flint receiving passage being so inter-related that said beaded key chain holds captive said standard-sized cigarette lighter Hints within said flint receiving passage.

2. The key chain attachment of claim 1 wherein said 4 body portion is formed of transparent, thermosetting plastic material.

3. The key chain attachment of claim 1 wherein said body portion carries advertising material thereon.

4. The key chain attachment of claim 1 wherein said body portion has a lighter-opening flange formed thereon.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS 5/1953 France. 9/1953 Great Britain.

LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION, A BEADED KEY CHAIN AND ATTACHMENT COMPRISING: (A) A GENERALLY RECTANGULAR BODY PORTION; (B) A FLINT RECEIVING CYLINDRICAL BLIND PASSAGE CONTAINING AT LEAST ONE STANDARD-SIZED CIGARETTE LIGHTER FLINT, SAID CYLINDRICAL BLIND PASSAGE BEING FORMED LONGITUDINALLY IN SAID BODY PORTION AND COMMUNICATING WITH ONE END SURFACE THEREOF; (C) A TRANSVERSE PASSAGE WITH SAID BEADED KEY CHAIN POSITIONED THERETHROUGH, SAID TRANSVERSE PASSAGE BEING FORMED IN SAID BODY PORTION IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID FLINT RECEIVING PASSAGE AND EXTENDING PERPENDICULARLY THERETO; (D) SAID TRANSVERSE PASSAGE AND SAID FLINT RECEIVING PASSAGE BEING SO INTER-RELATED THAT SAID BEADED KEY CHAIN HOLDS CAPTIVE SAID STANDARD-SIZED CIGARETTE LIGHTER FLINTS WITHIN SAID FLINT RECEIVING PASSAGE. 